BOFFINS have developed an app offering the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge the chance to see what Prince George will look like in the future.

Scientists at the University of Bradford have released a series of pictures of the two-year-old prince using newly developed software which shows how the toddler will look at a variety of ages from seven until 60.

The computer programme was originally developed to identify terrorist suspects in crowds, however scientists are now working to create an app offering couples the chance to see their own children before they are born.

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Experts say the new software can create a much more detailed and accurate picture of an individual’s future appearance than currently possible with existing age-progression computer programmes.

Hassan Ugail, Bradford University’s Professor of visual computing, revealed how blending someone’s features with those of the parents has enabled programmers to create a reliable forecast of the subject’s future face.

Speaking at the British Science Festival, he said: “It’s widely understood that the genes of our parents provide the blueprint for how we look.

“Until now, facial ageing software has only been able to reliably predict our own future appearance.

“We’ve built on the current range of software packages, adding an extra layer of information into the algorithm.

BRADFORD UNIVERSITY

Prince George aged 20

"The software can verify which traits the child may have inherited from the parent, and then use this information to create images for the child at different points in the future.”

The Bradford team "trained" the software using a database of hundreds of photographs of individuals taken at various ages in their lives.

Professor Ugail believes that the programme’s facial predictions are around 80 per cent accurate.

BRADFORD UNIVERSITY

Prince George aged seven

The software has been put to the test, creating portraits of some of the UK’s most famous royal and celebrity children, including Prince George, Princess Charlotte and David and Victoria Beckham’s daughter, Harper.

Professor Ugail said: "Computers are much more accurate than humans, so we can be confident of their reliability if they pass that test.”

The system can also offer couples the opportunity to see what their unborn children might look like by uploading an image of the prospective mother and father.

BRADFORD UNIVERSITY

Prince George aged two according to the software

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Two-year-old Prince George at his sister Princess Charlotte's christening

He added: “The software is a lot of fun, but there is a serious side to it.

“It could be used in security applications, help authorities create more realistic portraits of wanted criminals or to help trace missing children and adults.”

He said the team intends to make the software available to a wider audience and are discussing the potential of creating an app.